Harness-saddle



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shee1 1. E. G. ROBERTSON.

BARNESS SADDLE. No. 465,115. Patented Dec. 15,1891.

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Patented Dec. 15,1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARNESS-SADDLE.

forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,115, dated December 15, 1891.

SPECIFICATION Application filed September 3, 1890. Serial No- 3631864 (No model.)

To all? whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, EDWARD G. ROBERTSON, a citizen of the United States, residing atNewark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harness-Saddles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to reduce the cost of manufacturing saddles, to simplify the construction of the same, to provide a saddle in which the back-band will be more fully in plain view, so that the amount of wear thereon will be clearly apparent, to provide metal bearings for the back-band where it runs over the angle in the saddle, whereby the durability of the said back-band will be increased and the weight on the said band will be distributed over a broader surface on the saddle, and to secure other advantages and results, some of which will be hereinafter set forth in connection with the description of the working parts.

The invention consists in the improved harness-saddle and in the arrangements and combinations of parts thereof, substantially as will be hereinafter set forth, and finally embodied in the clauses of the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like leltersof reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures, Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of the improved saddle. Fig. 2 is a detail plan of a certain top plate. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same, and Fig. 4 is an end view thereof. Fig. 5 is a plan showing the saddletree and seat and on one side one of the top plates 3 and Fig.6 is a section of the same, taken on line as. Fig. 7 is a cross-section taken on line y. Fig. 8 is a plan of a certain skirt or top leather in detail, and Fig. 9 is a section taken on line .2. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the parts comprising the invention complete.

In said drawings, a indicates a metallic saddle-tree, which. in side elevation is angular to con form more or less closely to the horses back. At each side of the crown or central angle the same is open or provided with wide longitudinal slots Z), Fig. 5, through which certain upper parts may be thrust. At the crown the said tree is provided with a curved bearing 0, Fig. 6, over which the running back-band passes, and at the outer or lower ends the said tree is provided with bearings c c, which receive certain holding orstiffening billets dd, of leather. At the opposite longitudinal edges of the tree are raised flanges ff, each having a series of tack perforations f, by means of which a skirtis fastened securely to the upper face of the tree. The skirt g is preferably of the shape shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and is secured to the tree, so that the edges project laterally therefrom to receive the padding, binding, drc, in theusual manner. The tongues g g of the skirt rest on the flanges f, held by the tacks, as before indicated, and enter at their upper extremities underneath the seam, where they are concealed from View. pressed down by the top plate into the opening 1;, and the portion 7t rests on the billet d, fastened to the seat or bearing 0, and is supported thereby at the points below the ends of the tree. The said billets d are fastened to the seat 0 by means of tacks and raise the bearings for the skirt about flush with the side flanges f, so as to keep the said skirt smooth at the extremity of the tree and top plate. The said billets stiffen or support the skirts and give or allow acertain elastic play thereto, whereby they and the padding connected therewith may be made to conform to the horses back.

Upon the skirt are fastened top plates m m, (shown in detail in Figs. 2, 3, and 4,) which extend from the seat 2', by which the upper ends are covered downward to points above the extremities of the tree, where the said top plates are secured to said tree by screws 0 0 at opposite sides of the backhand, the said tree and top plates being provided with screwholes 0 o and 0 0, respectively, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. At the sides of the said top plates are parallel bars m m, which rest on the skirt where the same is tacked to the tree, concealing the tacks and giving a finish to the saddle, the said top plate being polished The center tongue g is and plated in any ordinary manner to give the desired ornamental effect. The sidebars m m are integrally joined at the center by a sunken connecting-plate m having vertical side walls m which latter fit closely between the flanges ff and prevent any lateral movement of the top plate on its bearings. Said plate m in connection with the bearing 0, presents broad bearings for the back-band, on which the weight or pressure of the backband is distributed.

At the upper ends of the connecting-plates m are formed projecting lips m, which pass beneath the bearing 0, as shown in Fig. 6, thus holding the top plates securely to the tree at their upper ends. here the top plates pass beneath the seat z the same are provided with guards m, which extend beneath the seat and serve to protect the stitching, when the same is employed in connection with a leather-covered seat from the rubbing or friction ,of the running back-band.

At thelower ends of the top plate are formed rais'ed bridges m provided with means by which the ordinary terrets may be secured to the saddle. The said bridges are perforated, so that any of the terret-nuts now in use may be employed in connection with said bridges to hold the terrets in position.

By means of the top plates of the peculiar construction described and the parts eo-operating therewith I am enabled to employ a short tree and secure the advantages derived therefrom, and yet am enabled to obtain a low down arrangement of the ferrets, whereby the reins may make a more direct course to the bridle, as will be understood.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In a saddle, the combination, with a tree having bars provided with perforations, and a bearing 0 at the crown and billet-bearings at the outer ends, the center of the opposite sides ot'the tree being open longitudinally, of a skirt tacked on said bars, and a top plate having bars m, covering the tacks of the skirt and having a sunken bearing for the back-band and a raisedbridge over said back-band for the terret, means for securing said top plate upon said skirt, a seat 1 arunningback-band, and billets secured on the seats therefor, all

said parts being arranged and combined substantially as set forth.

2. In a saddle, the combination, with a tree having bearings c c, billets secured on said bearingsc,ofaskirthavingtonguesg,secured to said tree, and a top plate having bars m, plate m projecting lip m and bridge m and a back-band running under said bridge and over said plate m and bearing 0, substantially as set forth.

3. In asaddle, the combination, with a tree having a bearing a at the center angle or crown and at the opposite ends having billetbearings c c and openings 1) 19 between, and at the sides providing flanges f f for the skirt, of a skirt, back-band and billets, and a top plate providing bars m m,arranged on the skirt where the latter is secured to the tree and open between to expose the back-band and having a raised bridgeintegral with said bars m, and a sunken connecting-plate m adapted to lie beneath andprovide a bearing for the back band, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a saddle, a top plate having parallel bars m m open between to receive the backband and expose the same to view and to admit of the bearing of said back-band on the tree beneath, the saidbar being provided with an integral terret-bridge and at the opposite end with a guard m to extend beneath the seat 4; and protect the same, all said parts being combined substantially as set forth.

5. In a saddle,the combination, with a tree having raised flanges and a skirt fastened on the top face of the same, of a back-band ar ranged between said flanges, and top plates having bars pressing down on the skirt where it lies on the tree, the bars being open be tween to expose the back-baud and having integral bridges above the back band, and sunken bearings beneath said back-band, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a saddle, the combination, with a tree having a center bearing 0 and end bearings c c, and flanges to receive the skirt, of a skirt, and back-band, and top plates, each having bars m m, open between and connected by a sunken plate m provided with a lip m which engages the center bearing and having a raised bridge for the terret, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

-In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of August, 1890. v

- EDIVARD G. ROBERTSON. Witnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, OSCAR A. MICHEL. 

